ARIZONA: Flagstaff Cop Placed On Leave After Video Shows Him Punching Arrested Woman In Face [VIDEO]

USA Today reports:

Flagstaff police officer has been placed on administrative leave after a video showing him punching a woman in the face surfaced Wednesday on Facebook, according to a police spokesman. The Flagstaff Police Department “became aware” of the video, which shows Officer Jeff Bonar striking the woman during a Wednesday afternoon arrest, about 7:30 p.m. MT, police Sgt. Cory Runge said in a statement.

“Our agency is very concerned by what is depicted in this video,” Runge said. “We are immediately initiating an internal investigation into this incident.” Flagstaff resident Jimmy Sedillo identified the woman in the video as his girlfriend when contacted by The Arizona Republic. He said the pair had received an eviction notice the previous week, and Wednesday was their deadline to leave.

He said officials, including Bonar, came to watch the couple leave and lock up the house. But when Bonar saw Sedillo’s girlfriend walk out of the house, he identified her as having a warrant out for her arrest. “She had a warrant a few weeks ago,” Sedillo said. “He still assumed she had a warrant.”

The full video posted to Facebook, which has gone viral, shows the woman resisting the arrest after the punch.